November 29, 2021
Former Denver Broncos and New York Jets quarterback Tebow (Shaken) seeks to help Christians identify their God-given purpose in this earnest and often quite funny motivational guide. Tebow urges readers to embrace that they were “made in God’s image, hand-chosen by Him and fully equipped to carry out works of eternal significance,” and avoid compartmentalizing worship and daily living (“no matter what, turn your present task, moment, or emotion into an act of worship”). He combines scriptural examples, which are amusingly retold (he imagines Noah’s neighbor quipping “I bet you five goats he’s having a midlife crisis”), with his reflections on contemporary figures, film, and theater that have inspired him (Braveheart for modeling “bravery and compassion”; Elf also gets a mention), and cautions readers against complacency and dwelling on negative emotions. Instead, he models how to reframe obstacles using examples from his own life; for instance, he believes his family’s financial limitations during his childhood taught him to value hard work and gave him a strong “mental edge.” While he admits Christians may not be able to live perfect lives, he repeats that they’re “created to live mission-possible ones.” This pep talk will spark the hearts of faithful readers (particularly sports fans) needing a kick start.